Old Horror Movie Title Needed!

Hi all. My first post. There was a horror movie made in the 1960s I believe, about a mad scientist in a mansion. He was doing some kind of weird experiments on peoples' brains I think. Somehow his daughter or her friend maybe, was killed but the scientist kept her head alive in a glass jar. At the end of the movie, the head says "Kill me, kill me." I think there may have been Nazis in the movie, but I'm not sure. It also seems like whoever played the mad scientist was famous. Everyone I tell about this movie says I'm nuts and no such movie ever existed. Am I crazy or does anyone remember this flick?

Thanks,
Bob

Horror Remakes: Ever a Good Decision?

As production continues on the Nightmare on Elm Street remake and more and more casting news surfaces for the upcoming Friday the 13th remake, I find myself becoming increasingly agitated, perhaps even anxious. It's not that I am inherently opposed to remakes -- I am in fact typically very much in favor of reimagining stories to make them relevant for a new generation. But then I think about Rob Zombie's Halloween; I think about Jessica Biel's Texas Chainsaw Massacre; I think about Paris Hilton's House of Wax, and I have to ask: is remaking horror ever a good decision?

I would have to answer with a reserved no. I say reserved because there are some cross-genre remakes like Invasion of the Body Snatchers and The Fly whose updates were at least as successful if not better than the original. But because these films also share roots with Science Fiction, I cannot unabashedly put them in the "Win" column for horror. And aside from these horror/scifi hybrids, I can't think of a single great remake.

I think perhaps this is because unlike most other genres of film, horrors are essentially timeless. The motivations for Jason attacking the camp counselors, for example, will stay relevant as long as the human race continues to engage in recreational sex -- and I don't see that changing any time soon. There is really no need to update the visuals because, let's face it, we nailed blood and gore a long time ago, and so reinvention becomes at best a scheme to earn a quick buck without having to be original.

Can you guys think of any successful horror remakes? Are there any upcoming remakes you're looking forward to? Is there any way to successfully remake a horror classic?

Funny Games -- Haneke Hates Us

I just saw Michael Haneke's adaptation of his own movie Funny Games, and I have to say it was one of the most appalling horrors I've ever seen. Never have I witnessed a filmmaker who has so much contempt for their audience.

The premise of the movie is simple (and, I have to say, alluring) -- two psychos take a rich family hostage and make a bet that they won't live through the night. But it quickly becomes obvious what the point of the movie is: scolding the audience for enjoying the horror genre.

How does Haneke do this? By breaking the fourth wall and having the kidnappers address the audience, just to make sure you're not actually getting into the story he's presented. Well Mr. Haneke, I wouldn't go to see the movie if I didn't get any enjoyment out of it, and if I want to be lectured, I'll go to church. I felt viscerally insulted by the film, more so because of the promise it showed.

Did I read this movie wrong? Did anyone out there actually enjoy this movie?